Weber Sweet Pea ???

[Cape Cod Struggler]

I hope this is the correct forum. I am looking for a small travel mandolin to take to Ireland and I have been unable to find one at any of the local dealers. I looked at and played a Martin Back Packer guitar and didn't think I would be impressed with the mandolin version.

Does anyone owns a Weber Sweet Pea travel mandolin? How does it sound? Would you recommend it as an instrument to own and play beyond taking it on a camping trip?

[man dough nollij]

I have one that developed a sinking top, and needs a new brace. They sound pretty good, and have a nice neck on them. Pretty quiet, too. They're not cheap, though, and they aren't really all that much smaller than a regular one. I measured mine to see if it would fit in a carry-on suitcase (diagonally), and it's about 3/4" too long. The tailpiece on them is brilliant-- the easiest of all I've seen to restring. Mine came with a pretty flimsy gig bag, which doesn't really make any sense for travelling. I found that it fits very nicely in a 3/4 violin hard case. If you can get a good deal on a used one, I'd say go for it. :mandosmiley:

[JEStanek]

I had one but moved it on as I just didn't use it for it's intended purpose. When I travelled, rarely, I would take a full size mandolin along.

My Sweet Pea had a comfortable neck and played well. The tailpiece, as Lee said, was brilliant for retringing and comfort when playing. The integrated strap was very nice too. It sounded like a mandolin with less bass response (just like every other smaller bodied instrument). I preferred the sound to the Martin version of the travelling mandolin (YMMV). Careful backpack packing or luggage packing/ keeping it with you in your seat on a flight and not putting it in the overhead make the standard gigbag acceptable.

I believe it would be acceptable volume and sound wise in a small jam (2-4 people). It is what it is. The guy I sold mine to took it to Ireland on vacation. I never had any structural concerns with mine. It's important to note that Lee was playing his in perhaps the most inhospitable of environments, in the cold dry dry dry climate of Antarctica.

Jamie

[Capt. E]

I own a Weber and think very highly of them, but I would rather take a Big Muddy (Mid-Missouri) or a Flatiron 1N (which I also own). Both better than the Sweet Pea in my opinion.